1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of product packaging, and in particular to an improved package with a sleeve and interlocking slide-in insert.
2. Prior Art
Product packaging is a highly competitive industry, in which there is an ongoing effort to develop new package designs. A successful design must typically satisfy a number of often conflicting criteria, including: security, esthetic appearance, cost, ease of use, and the like. With respect to cost, it is noted that even a relatively small per-package savings in materials or labor can have a significant impact on the bottom line.
One commonly used type of design is the so-called “sleeve-and-insert” package. This type of package includes two basic components that are assembled together: (1) an insert having a compartment, cavity, or other structure for holding an item to be packaged and (2) an outer sleeve that fits over the insert. A sleeve-and-insert package is typically assembled by loading the item into the insert and then loading the insert into an open end of the sleeve.
Typically, the assembled package is secured in some way to hold the sleeve in position over the insert. Securing the assembled package serves a number of purposes, including prevention of damage to the package or its contents, as well as prevention of theft or tampering. One common technique for holding the sleeve in place is to apply adhesive tape, labels, or shrink wrap to the exterior of the assembled package.
It will be appreciated that securing a package in this way suffers from a number of disadvantages. Applying a securing material to a package after assembly adds a step to the process, and incurs costs for labor, equipment, and materials. In addition, adhesive tape, labels, or shrink wrap can detract from the overall esthetic appearance of a package.
Some prior art sleeve-and-insert package have attempted to address the above issues by designing the insert and sleeve to include respective structures that lock together when the insert is assembled into the sleeve. For example, in one such package design, a sleeve is provided with foldable tabs that interlock with respective indentations in an insert. However, this type of package has not proven to be entirely satisfactory. If the sleeve tabs and insert indentations lack sufficient rigidity, the resulting locking action will be insecure. Achieving the necessary rigidity may require the use of heavier materials or reinforcement structures, thereby adding to the overall cost of the package. In addition, the prior-art design limits the number of available cross sectional shapes for the package, because of the need to make sure that the tabs are properly seated in their respective indentations and cannot be easily pulled or twisted out of position. Thus, prior art designs have left a significant amount of room for improvement with respect to these and other criteria.